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Dear Editor;
I am in shock at the announcement of Bloomfield Healthcare and Rehabilitation's closure. As someone who has had years of contact with nursing homes in both the Madison and the Milwaukee areas due to both parents needing this level of care, I am here to let the residents of Iowa County know that this facility is truly a gem. The staff is outstanding approaching residents with care, respect, and humor. My 94-year-old mother currently resides there and the staff treats her just like she was one of their family. When someone has had a stroke, it doesn't mean that their mind doesn't need stimulation so the Bloomfield activity staff provides a variety of activities including music, crafts, bingo, and more. The facility is very clean, the laundry well-tended, and the food prepared so that individual resident's needs are met. The nursing staff is patient, knowledgeable, and great listeners as they work to help residents maintain a level of comfort in their last years. Compared with other facilities in the country, they have done an outstanding job of keeping the residents safe during the pandemic. And yet another plus is that they have an impressive rehabilitation department right on site.
To say that the nursing home isn't profitable is putting a low value on the lives of those who have worked, served, and paid taxes in Iowa County and now need an affordable facility for their health needs. Schools, roads, fire and police departments, and other public services do not "pay for themselves". This also is a service provided to the residents of the county and their families. As an article I read yesterday stated, 1 in 3 of us will need nursing home services in the future. This facility is one of the best I have seen.
I am also upset with the secretive process used to close the facility. By the way this was done, it looks like you wanted the facility to close and did not welcome any input. A referendum passed not too long ago reflecting the Iowa County residents desire for Bloomfield to remain open. Don't the residents' opinions matter? None of the staff knew. No one I know was invited to a community committee to explore alternatives to closure. When Milwaukee faced the closure of two of its hospitals, Mt. Sinai and St. Josephs, in critical areas of the city the community came together and those two hospitals remain open today.
Let's not move the frail and disabled residents in the middle of winter and a global pandemic. There needs to be further exploration of this decision and we need to think outside the box. I believe we can find a way to keep Bloomfield open and continue these important services for Iowa County residents and their families.
Judy Campbell
Dodgeville, WI